Senior Peer Support worker: Drug & Alcohol Reconnect
The closing date is 06 July 2026
Are you a passionate peer or lived experience worker ready to take the next step in your career? This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of lived experience roles while supporting the growth and development of services that truly make a difference. We’re looking for a motivated and inspiring individual with direct lived experience of the Criminal Justice System and/or drug and alcohol use to join our Reconnect team in the Midlands. The role will cover the geographical area of West Mercia and therefore requires the post holder to have access to a car and be able to travel independently across the region. In this rewarding role, your insight, empathy, and experience will help empower others on their recovery journey, influence positive change, and strengthen the voice of lived experience across our services. We’d especially love to hear from people who have experience supporting, overseeing, or mentoring volunteers or staff members, and who understand the strong links between prison, recovery, and substance use. Please note, this role is subject to vetting. If you have a Criminal Justice history, please check this link and ensure your offences do not fall within the ‘fixed’ category as this would exclude you from passing the vetting: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmpps-risk-assessed-access-for-personnel-with-lived-experience-of-the-criminal-justice-system-policy-framework If you need help to navigate this, email via the below contact details.
Main duties of the job
- Supervise and support Peer Support Workers and volunteers, contributing to recruitment and workforce development.
- Holding a caseload and supporting that caseload with overcoming barriers, such as attending their appointments with local substance use services.
- Partnership working and service promotion of both prison and community substance use services.
- Maintain professional relationships with a strong focus on confidentiality, safeguarding, and boundaries.
- Co‑produce and deliver training and development activities for internal teams and external partners.
- Use lived experience to model recovery‑focused approaches, mentoring and supporting others.
- Promote independent living by connecting service users with prison and community resources, including employment, housing, education, drug and alcohol support, and leisure services.
- Signpost individuals to appropriate support, opportunities, and activities to encourage informed decision‑making and wellbeing.
- Assist in developing and delivering educational programmes, peer support groups and recovery‑focused activities.
About us
Come and work with us at our award‑winning NHS Trust, leading the way for trying new and better ways of working to help improve life for our local communities.
We have around 9,000 staff who provide physical and mental healthcare, support for people with learning disabilities, and adult social care across Staffordshire, Stoke‑on‑Trent, Shropshire, and Telford & Wrekin. We also run regional and national services, including help for new parents (perinatal care), eating disorders, forensic services, sexual health, and support for people in prison with mental health, drug, or alcohol problems.
We offer great career development for both clinical and non‑clinical roles, with ongoing training and support to help you learn and grow.
We are ‘United in our Uniqueness’ and committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcome and can be themselves, no matter their background or identity. We want our staff to feel supported and valued, and we aim to build a team that reflects the communities we serve. Together, we can make sure every voice is heard, and every difference is respected.
Person Specification
Experience
- Own personal lived experience of change/recovery from criminal justice services and/or own personal lived experience of change/recovery from substance misuse challenges.
- Experience of having personally utilised criminal justice services and/or substance misuse treatment/recovery services.
- Experience of working in a range of health and/or social care settings as a peer support worker.
- Experience of working with people within the criminal justice settings and/or substance misuse services supporting them to access opportunities beyond criminal justice or substance misuse services.
Qualifications & Training
- Accredited certificate in Life Coaching.
- Motivational Interviewing training.
Other
- Able to fulfil the requirement to commute across the whole of the Staffordshire.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer name
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
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